


On Top of the World

by dearestones (Devin_Trinidad)



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Chicago, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Reader is gender neutral, anxiety mentions, the sears tower
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:48:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29264571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Devin_Trinidad/pseuds/dearestones
Summary: Reader goes to Chicago with friends and makes their way to the Sears Tower.Their anxiety may or may not be hindering their enjoyment of the trip.
Relationships: America/Main Character, America/Reader
Kudos: 2





	On Top of the World

You didn’t know what possessed you to attend this trip, but here you were. As a person who lived in Illinois all their life, you knew all about the Sears Tower (Willis Tower, you know, but true Chicagoans remember). They used to be the tallest buildings in the world until they were surpassed by the Petronas Towers. It was an architectural marvel that Chicago had boasted for close to fifteen years. 

Anyway, you were planning on spending time with your college friends in Chiacgo due to the fact that all your schedules had somehow aligned. It was a miracle, and as such, they decided to go all out and visit some of the biggest attractions in the city. You, somewhat nervous about heading into the city, joined them. It wasn’t like you didn’t want to visit Chicago, but you could never understand the appeal of large crowds and even bigger buildings.

However, you were lying if you said that you weren’t enjoying yourself. Your friends were conscious of your needs and made sure to keep you safe and that you weren’t too overstimulated by the sights and smells that you encountered. 

As you walked with your friends, you observed that the streets were bustling with people from all walks of life. It was a pleasant day out, one where a lot of tourists crowded around several tourist sites that you were already vaguely familiar with. 

The Bean (famous for the fact that it was a giant bean that reflected the landscape surrounding it), provided a round of laughter and opportunities for photos for you and your friends. Every one of you had a chance to make a funny pose in front of the camera. After that, all of you headed towards the Art Institute of Chicago where there were even more photos and hushed whispers of reverence for the sights that were offered to you. 

However, it was the final destination that had your stomach twisting in knots and sweating at the palms. 

The Sears Tower. 

You were more than aware that at the very top of the tower, there was a special area where people could stand on glass and get their photos taken in said area. The trouble was that the glass was basically suspended over the entirety of the Chicagoan area and you weren’t… You were definitely not ready to start knocking on death’s door. 

The elevator ride up the Sears Tower was nerve wracking. You were already faced with the prospect of accompanying your friends to the top and was expected of you to join on that terrifying plane of glass (you could have easily rejected them, but you were a good friend and didn’t want to disappoint), but now you were stuck in an enclosed space. It seemed like today was a day that was testing all of your anxieties at once. 

As you pressed your palms together and continued to face the elevator doors, you felt a comforting presence at your back. Thinking it to be one of your friends, you were surprised to find a tall young man leaning his back against the back wall. Startled at the sight of such a stranger, you immediately faced forward again, muttering a quick apology as you did so. 

Just when you thought that your levels of embarrassment would somewhat die down from such a serious social faux pas, you heard the young man chuckle to himself. It wasn’t necessarily a mean spirited sound, but it certainly didn’t help your self-esteem at that moment. Wilting from such an interaction, you hugged your arms around your chest and hoped to whatever deity existed that they would grant your wish and skip to the end of the day.

The elevator dinged.

Somewhat elated at the prospect of leaving such a cramped space, you headed out.

And then you promptly wanted to go back inside the elevator. 

There were so many tourists taking photos here and there. They were either posing near the large windows that showcased the best of Chicago or on top of the glass floor. 

So many people… 

Before you could ponder further (or have the chance of running away to the nearest working elevator), your friends dragged you in line. They began to chatter amongst themselves. Some of them were opting for more photo opportunities while others were glancing about the area with awe. 

You would do the same if you weren’t so nervous. 

As the groups ahead of you finished their photo taking, you were growing more and more antsy. Your hands were sweating bucketfuls—at this rate, you could fill up a small lake. You were shaking like a leaf, nervousness still wracking you. 

Just when you thought you were about to fall, you felt a warm, comforting presence at your side. 

“Are you all right, kid?”

You happened to look up and—

Geeze, it was that young man from the elevator. 

You flushed a bright apple red and turned away again.

“If you’re here to laugh at me again—” You warned. Well, you tried to warn him. It wasn’t like you had any fire in you to actually back up your threat—that is, if you had any threat to begin with. 

The man laughed, a bit abashed if you listened to it clearly. 

“Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make fun. It’s just that not many people often say hello before turning me down.”

Your face burned and you refused to say anything.

“The first time I came here, I was nervous too.”

You blinked. 

You turned around, slowly. Was he really? Once you had a good look at him—tall, handsome man, excellent facial features, a heartwarming smile—you couldn’t look away. For a man who looked so… so confident and brave, you could hardly imagine him to ever be nervous. Or scared. 

“You were?” 

Shoot, you weren’t supposed to say anything. 

If the smile on the man’s face was anything to go by, he didn’t expect you to respond either, but now that he did, he was obviously proud of himself.

“Yeah, yeah.” His smile grew even bigger, brighter too. “It’s been a few years, but I’ll never forget my first time standing on that glass platform.” He whistled to himself, low and softly to himself. “It was incredible just looking down at the sights!”

As he regaled you with all the details of what he saw on that first time, you could see it for yourself in your mind’s eye. The glass paneling, the buildings that were all hopelessly smaller than the Sears Tower. I could see it, the tall spires, the horizon bleeding out as the afternoon turned to evening. 

It must have been beautiful… 

“It was beautiful,” the man said. 

You turned to him, a little stunned because you could have sworn that you had not said that out loud. 

He sent you a smile, cheeky in the way it crinkled his eyes and dimpled one of his cheeks. 

“You know what they say,” he paused for dramatic effect, “America the beautiful.”

There must have been something there. Like an inside joke? A reference? Whatever it was, for some odd reason, you were snickering to yourself. 

At that moment, you suddenly felt one of your friends tug you to them. It was then that you realized that it was your group’s turn to take a photo. You glanced back at the friendly young man, only to be taken aback by the warm, easygoing look in his eyes. 

“Go on,” he urged. “Trust me, you’ll enjoy it.”

You stepped onto the glass platform and not once did you feel the all encompassing feeling of anxiety take over you once more. 


End file.
